Butts?!


 
E

Eric Michaud

TVWBB Super Fan
Threw 2 - 8lb. butts on the WSM last night at 11:00 side by side on the top rack, stayed up a while to check temps and fill my head with info from here. Set my alarm for 7:15 figuring I would still have plenty of time to make my sauce and get a few last minute items except my Maverick went off at 6:15. My first thought was that the temp was getting low but I was wrong, the butt I probed was at 190 after only 7 hours and 15 minutes. I guess I got lucky and probed the right one, the other one was at 170. Never had a butt cook that fast, kept my temps between 250 - 265 the whole time. Funny how 2 pieces of meat exactly the same size cook so differently. Going to check on speedy now, should be close to 195, going to wrap it and hold it in the cooler till the other one is done.
 
Just a follow up, the second one was done in 12 hours. Same size butts, one took 4 hours longer than the other. Like they say "Its done when its done".
 
Put one 7.5 pounder on last night at 8:30. It's now 11:30a and it's up to about 175. A little slower than usual, but within range. I'm still on the original fuel load -- full chamber with about 5 buried chunks of hickory and pecan. Lit about 30 in a chimney along with two chunks of hickory. Once the coals lit and the chunks were black all over, I dumped the chimney on top of the unlit chamber. sent vents at around 20%. Ran about 260 most of the night and fell to about 210 at 7:30 this morning. opened the vents a bit and tapped the legs. Also added water. It's been at 245 steady since. I usually have to add more charcoal (Kingsford) by now, but it's quite warm here today (upper 80's). Used a beer mop about 2 hours ago. One more mop before the end.

Enjoy your pork today -- I know I will.

Jeff
 
The best I can tell you is you might have one area that runs a little hotter than another. This could be caused by wind or more fuel being lit on one side of your fire basket. Some to cook quicker than others and it is what it is. Enjoy your meal and have a great holiday. Vince
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Vince B:
The best I can tell you is you might have one area that runs a little hotter than another. This could be caused by wind or more fuel being lit on one side of your fire basket. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep. Meat is much more standardized these days. If those butts were roughly the same weight and thickness, there was definately a contributing factor to such a difference in cooking. Regarding only the meat, the only thing I can think of that might account for a big difference is if...say you cooked a six pound HALF butt vs. a six pound WHOLE butt. Generally speaking, the HALF butt is gonna take a lot longer pound for pound, since it came from a larger and tougher shoulder.

Anyhow...the wsm cooks uneven, sometimes more than others...especially with less in terms of heat sinks, ie. just a foiled pan. Wind, sun/shade, and especially, the charcoal burns seems all to make one side cook hotter than the other. I prefer a wind break to an upwind side, and also I try to use ALL my vents for a more even charcoal burn across the ring.

There's upsides/downsides to just about everything, and I must say that one upside to a low-n-slow (225-250) water-n-da-pan wsm cook is that you probably get a more even cook. I've never read that before, but I think it's my experience, at least. Just saying...

As to fixes, I suppose that rotating the middle section 180* could help, as long as an uneven charcoal burn rate from one side to the other doesn't end up being just the opposite a few hours into the cook....if that makes any sense.
icon_confused.gif
 
Thanks guys, either way the butts turned out great. But I was thinking one butt had a lotn more water and was not as dense as the other. There was no wind today, my smoker is on a covered porch, and I try to spread the lit on evenly ,to avoid hot spots, and lastly when I adjust my vents I adjust them all equally. Who knows I was just surprised at how fast it cooked and that it was over 4 hours quicker.
 
Hey Eric, glad you had a great fourth! The amount of internal fat and connective tissue is also a big factor and that is always the big unknown! The longer one may have been leaner on the inside.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Eric Michaud:
Thanks guys, either way the butts turned out great. But I was thinking one butt had a lotn more water and was not as dense as the other. There was no wind today, my smoker is on a covered porch, and I try to spread the lit on evenly ,to avoid hot spots, and lastly when I adjust my vents I adjust them all equally. Who knows I was just surprised at how fast it cooked and that it was over 4 hours quicker. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

"One had more water and not as dense as the other?" I don't know about that adding up to much a difference. Sure the one that seemed more dense wasn't frozen in the center? I know I've picked up meat that was supposed to be fresh, but was starting to freeze 'cause the store cooler was too cold, as my fridge at home sometimes gets....Just wondering, but glad it all turned out great.
icon_smile.gif
 
I guess another thing to keep in mind is it may have been possible that you hit a thick or heavy fat spot in one and solid meat in the other or possibly closer to the bone in one than the other. Just a hunch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top